April - June 2010 - Bureau of Police Research and Development

Marital Rape : The Assasination of a Woman's Dignitymore assertive, indignant or rebellious, this kind ofrape is more likely to happen.It is difficult defining clear-cut lines between thedifferent types of rape, since rape can involveany of the above or a combination of them. Forinstance, the rapist may use coercion tactics andenough force to control the victim initially, butthen use increased violence if the victim struggles.Many victims of marital rape feel guilty for nothaving struggled more, or have been told that ifthey did not try to physically fight their abuserand thereby sustained injuries, that it is not 'realrape'. This can be extremely distressing and addto the trauma already experienced. What has tobe remembered is that when you are living withyour abuser, you are often very finely tuned tohim, employing numerous coping mechanisms tolimit the damage to yourself: you may realizeeither consciously or subconsciously that if youstruggle, he is likely to get violent or take hisanger out on you in other ways.Other reasons a woman may not fight back areso as not to disturb children sleeping nearby,thereby risking them witnessing the rape; shockor confusion at what is happening whichparalyses her; and real concern for her abuser,which results in her not wanting to do anythingwhich may harm or injure her rapist even to thedetriment of herself.Research seems to indicate that in the context ofan abusive relationship, the woman is most likelyto be subjected to rape towards the end of therelationship, or after she has left, though severalwomen have reported that their boyfriends rapedthem at the very beginning of their relationship -which is reminiscent of the ancient custom ofcapturing and raping women to be able to claimthem as wives. It would appear that where rapestarts in an established relationship, that rape isoften used by an abuser when other controltactics, such as isolation or emotional abuse areno longer sufficient to maintain his power andhold over her, or to punish her for either leavingor trying to leave. Only too often, this works.Effects of Marital RapeDue to popular stereotypes of "real" rape, it isoften assumed that because spouses have beensexually intimate, forced sexual intercourse inmarriage is not as traumatic as rape by astranger.Rape by a stranger can be highly traumatic butis usually a one-time event and is clearlyunderstood as rape. In the case of rape by aspouse or long term sexual partner the history ofthe relationship affects the victim’s reactions.Marital rape is likely to be part of an abusiverelationship. Trauma from the rape adds to theeffect of other abusive acts or abusive anddemeaning talk. Furthermore marital rape is likelyto happen repeatedly. The effect of marital rapeis homicidal for the woman both psychologicallyor emotionally and physically.Women are at particularly high risk for beingraped by their partners under the followingcircumstances :Women married to domineering men whoview them as "property"Women who are in physically violentrelationshipsWomen who are pregnantWomen who are ill or recovering from surgeryWomen who are separated or divorcedMany factors contribute to the difficulty that manywomen have in recovering from marital rape. Theissues are complicated. First is the fact that therapist is a close acquaintance, and as in otherforms of acquaintance rape, healing can be a verylong and difficult process. The survivor may notrecognize that she was sexually violated, and somay think that her feelings of fear, revulsion,depression or anger mean that she is crazy orsomehow flawed. Because the perpetrator wasat one time trusted and loved, the survivor islikely to deal with bitter feelings of betrayal andfate or it is thought tobe a part of theconjugal right of theman which licenseshim to exert force ordisregard the will of hisconjugal partner.It was only in the lastfew decades that theapproach of the societytowards this vice hasstarted to undergo achange. The cry ofinternationalorganizations andwomen emancipationgroups towards thisIssue are responsiblefor this positiveThe Indian Police Journal Vol. LVII-No. 2, April-June, 2010 65➢